Monthly Archives: November 2016

Enjoy Christmas in a natural setting this year and help transform our formal gardens into a Victorian outdoor Christmas parlour!

Our Christmas in the Trees event on Wednesday December 21st will feature all we could wish for at this season – mulled wine, mince pies, roast chestnuts and gingerbread for sale, carols, a brass band, a guided winter walk and a Christmas tree trail to follow.

But that’s not all! Professional florists will be on hand to help visitors of all ages to make swags and wreaths from seasonal greenery and hang them in the camellia walkway. And there will be further surprises in store from the team at Crawley Art Shake – can you help make pom-poms and help turn our yew trees into Christmas trees and puddings? To help set the scene, two authentic Victorian costumes made by the Worth Park Costume Project over the last three months will be on display.

The event is free and there’s no need to book.

We will need a team of volunteers willing to learn to make bases for the wreaths and swags and help out at the event. Our expert florist Amanda Roussell will be running a training course at Ridleys Court on Friday December 16th for anyone interested in helping out – If you’ve ever wanted to learn to make traditional decorations for Christmas this is a great opportunity to learn how! If you’d like to book onto the course and help at the event then please get in touch.

Our artist Vanessa Cumper is also keen for donations of pom-poms and other knitting to decorate the yew trees – if you or anyone you know could help out she would love to hear from you via email. vanessacumperart@gmail.com

Spring bulb planting
We have a large quantity of spring bulbs to go in the ground. If you can spare any time in the morning of Wednesday 23rd and/or Wednesday 30th, from 10.00am – 12.00pm then Sam would love to hear from you. sam.worsey@crawley.gov.uk, alternatively please call him on 07884 267278.

Campaigners have branded Gatwick Airport’s new complaints procedure as ‘discriminatory’.

The airport has introduced a new system requiring those who are unhappy with issues surrounding the airport, including aircraft noise and flight paths, to complain online.

The system has been introduced following recommendations in the Independent Arrivals Review.

Gatwick Airport. Photo by Jeffrey Milstein

The review was conducted by Gatwick in 2015 following complaints over noise from aircraft arriving at the airport.

The limit on the amount of complaints a day, which was previously just one per complainant, has been lifted as part of the changes but the telephone complaints line has been removed.

An option still exists to put your complaint in writing, however, according to campaign group Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC), each letter will cost 55p.

Sally Pavey, chair of Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions (CAGNE), said: “This new system discriminates against anyone that does not have access to a computer such as the elderly or blind by removing the phone line.

Gatwick detail that residents without access to the Gatwick website will have to write a letter of complaint.

“This new system was intended to enable a true record of complaints but instead it would seem to be not only discriminating against a large section of the South East population but also making it harder for residents to complain about noise events as each complaint has to be logged via the Gatwick website process, these two factors makes it very unsatisfactory.”

Research by GACC found 5.9 million people in the UK have never used the internet.

Peter Barclay, vice-chairman of GACC added: “Why is Gatwick so unhelpful? Both Heathrow and Stansted airports have complaint systems which allow telephone calls and email.”

A spokesman for Gatwick said the new policy was discussed with both groups and was agreed with GATCOM.

He added: “The establishment of a consolidated online complaints policy was a key recommendation of the Independent Arrivals Review aimed at enhancing Gatwick’s handling of noise complaints.

“This improvement, which also coincided with the removal of a cap on the number of daily complaints, was widely communicated to interested parties and will help more accurately identify specific noise hot spots to bring about more targeted noise mitigation.”

An impressive piece of public art representing the history and heritage of Worth Park has been unveiled.

The ‘Timeline Totem’ was carved from a storm-damaged tree by West Sussex chainsaw sculptor Simon Groves in just seven days.

The different elements carved into the tree, which is situated in front of Ridley’s Court, represent various parts of the park’s history.

The stag highlights the area as part of Worth Forest, an ancient woodland and medieval deer park dating back to Anglo Saxon times.

The park became home to the Montefiore family from the early 1800s and is represented by the family crest.

Owls and books represent the private girls’ school, Milton Mount College from 1920 to 1960.

The park’s resident flora and fauna complete the seven metre high totem, which was unveiled by Councillor Chris Mullins, cabinet member for Wellbeing at Crawley Borough Council, and Mayor of Crawley, Councillor Raj Sharma.

Last week the Government finally announced that its preferred location for a new runway was Heathrow and not Gatwick.

There hasn’t been a new runway built in the South East since World War Two. Over that time there has been much debate about airport expansion, particularly over the last two years when both Heathrow and Gatwick submitted their proposals.

As a County Council, we took a decision in January 2015 not to support expansion at Gatwick. However, we also took the approach that whatever option the Government chose, we would work hard to ensure we did the best for our county to minimise the impact.

We know that many of our residents are deeply concerned about Gatwick expansion and they will feel relieved at the announcement made on Tuesday.

Gatwick Airport Failed in its bid to build a second runway (photo Jeffrey Milstein)

There has been a 30-year-agreement, which expires in 2019, between Gatwick Airport, Surrey and West Sussex County Council that there would be no second runway built in that time.

So what does last Tuesday’s announcement mean for the county?

The County Council is committed to ensuring there is a strong vibrant economy in our county – it is one of our core priorities. In West Sussex we are fortunate to have a strong diverse economy with world-class companies as well as medium to small businesses.

We need to ensure that businesses are able to grow and thrive here, that’s not just only about having the country’s second largest airport in our backyard, although that is useful to many businesses.

It is about ensuring we have a well-skilled work force, excellent well-funded schools giving children the best start of life and investing in our infrastructure.

It is why we are asking the Government for transition funding for our cash-starved schools.

It is why we are committed to 3SC – West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey – and working on an exciting devolution bid to ensure we can directly influence the skills agenda, the infrastructure in the area whilst protecting and enhancing our lovely green spaces valued by everyone.

We, along with our district and borough council partners, the 3SC and Local Enterprise Partnership, are working closely together to make sure our uniquely strong and vibrant business economy continues to grow.

This a great area that offers so much to employers, businesses and communities we will reinforce our efforts by engaging and listening to our many businesses, working with our partners such as the LEP, Districts and Boroughs to maintain the economic vibrancy here in West Sussex. We are certainly open for business.

While campaigners celebrate the government’s decision to back Heathrow for expansion, business leaders and politicians have been left to count the economical cost.

In January 2015, West Sussex County Council voted to oppose expansion at Gatwick, by a margin of 31 councillors to 26. Their stance was echoed by Crawley Borough Council and East Grinstead Town Council.

While the news Heathrow was the government’s preferred choice for another runway was welcomed, the county council recognised this was by no means the end of the story.

In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon (October 25), a spokesman said: ‘We know that today’s announcement will be welcomed by many of our communities who were concerned about the noise and environmental consequences of a second runway at Gatwick.

“However, our role as a county council now is to ensure that we work with the government, Gatwick Airport Limited and our local businesses to mitigate any negative impact of this decision on our county, especially in terms of our economy and any impact on jobs and skills.

“We will also continue to focus our efforts on making the case at a national level for significant investment into our West Sussex infrastructure,which remains very much needed regardless of
this decision.’

At Manor Royal, business leaders were keen to find out what the Heathrow runway announcement would mean for land that had already been set aside for expansion at Gatwick.

Steve Sawyer

Steve Sawyer, executive director of the Manor Royal Business District (BID) said: ‘We are confident that the current demand for commercial property on Manor Royal business District will continue regardless, although I suspect this won’t be the end of expansion at Gatwick.

“If anything, it will mark the next phase of debate and challenge as Heathrow looks to negotiate the huge financial, political and practical hurdles it needs to overcome.”

BID is home to 500 companies and 30,000 employees. Mr Sawyer said business leaders would now be’seeking clarity on the impact this decision will have”, adding: ‘While this may not be the decision many businesses locally would have wanted, we congratulate the government on finally taking this difficult decision and sending out a message to the world that the UK is open to business.

“Never has that been more important.’ He said the coming months would see BID working closely with the Gatwick Airport team’who have demonstrated the benefits of healthy competition in industry”.

Mr Sawyer added; “It’s very important we all sit down and discuss alternative futures for the area to ensure Manor Royal Business District continues to flourish alongside an international airport providing first-class global connectivity and local economic opportunity.”

A ‘disappointed” Jonathan Sharrock, chief executive of the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership said: ‘We believe that a second runway at Gatwick represents the better option, and would be cheaper and easier to build.

Emotions take flight as runway opponents ponder expansion decision
While anti-expansion campaigners celebrate, Gatwick and business leaders were not so happy to lose out26th October 2016 – Crawley Observer

After months of delays and, for some, decades of campaigning, the news Heathrow had been chosen for a new runway prompted a gamut of emotions.

For those who had campaigned against expansion at Gatwick there was joy; for those who had thrown their all into winning the government’s approval there was disappointment.

On one side of the divide was Stewart Wingate, Gatwick’s chief executive. He said: “We are disappointed as we do not believe this is the right answer for Britain. Gatwick has put forward a credible financeable and deliverable plan for expansion.

Stewart Wingate, Gatwick Chief Executive

“It is a plan that can guarantee growth and guarantee certainty for Britain. We look forward to studying the full reasons behind the Government decision in detail.

The challenges facing’ Heathrow have not changed. Our message today is that Gatwick stands ready to proceed when the time comes.”

On the other side of the divide were names such as GACC, CAGNE and One’s Enough – campaigners who feared for the consequences of expansion on the people and ecology of the area.

The CAGNE group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions – met at the Plough Inn, Ifield, to hear the new’s on Tuesday (October 25).

Chairman Sally Pavey said: ‘This clear decision will put an end to the years of uncertainty for our communities and the county. Gatwick expansion was always the wrong choice both from a national and a local perspective.

“Nationally, had Gatwick been chosen” Britain could not have competed with Europe’s excellent transport hubs because we would have had two inadequate hubs 40 miles apart with little or no
connectivity.

“Locally, it would have brought our infrastructure to a standstill destroyed our ancient woodlands, heritage sites, and areas of outstanding natural beauty, added numerous new flight paths over areas previously undisturbed and doubled flights over our skies night and day with no respite”.

Brendon Sewill, chairman of GACC – the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign – said the government’s decision would see hundreds of thousands of people across Surrey, Sussex and Kent “breathe a sigh of relief that the threat of more noise and more pollution, more traffic jams on the M25 more standing on the trains, and deterioration of this beautiful area has been lifted”.

The Government has backed Heathrow for expansion, rather than Gatwick (photo Jeffrey Milstein)

He added: “We have great sympathy with all those who will be adversely affected around Heathrow but we are glad to see that the Government will introduce legaly binding noise targets, and confirm that fewer people will be affected by noise by 2030 than are today.

“We note that meeting air quality legal requirements will be made a condition of planning approval for Heathrow – that should rule out any judicial review on this issue.”

Mr Sewill said GACC would “remain on guard” against any attempt to revert the decision to Gatwick though he acknowledged that was “unlikely”

He added: “We are delighted that ministers and civil servants have not been influenced by Gatwick’s 40 million advertising and lobbying campaign.

In contrast” over the last three years GACC has quietly and rationally pointed out the disadvantages of Gatwick and we are glad that this has proved effective.”

One’s Enough also pledged to remain on their guard against “any attempt by Gatwick to reverse this decision”.

Derek Meakings, campaign coordinator, said: “One’s Enough and its hundreds of supporters are naturally relieved that the government has rejected Gatwick’s cynical advertising and lobbying campaign to build a second runway that could never provide the massive benefits required for the whole of the country.

“With its poor connectivity – M23 and Brighton Line – to London and the whole of the UK Gatwick has always been and always will be in the wrong place to benefit the whole country.”

Mrs Pavey said it was now time for Gatwick to accept the “unambiguous and unequivocal” recommendation and the decision from Government and to focus on “making today’s airport quieter and cleaner, rather than doggedly continuing their campaign”.

Describing the airport as a “‘bucket and spade” airport for south east holiday makers, Mrs Pavey added: ‘Gatwick is on the wrong side of London to benefit the whole country and would have delivered the least in terms of jobs and economic growth for every part of the country, and its ever-declining freight tonnage would do nothing for our exports post-Brexit.”

While Crawley Borough Council opposed expansion at Gatwick leader Councillor Peter Lamb said he had “personal reservations” about the decision.

Calling on the government to make its final decision sooner rather than later he said the “uncertainty’ of the situation had “caused a huge amount of problems for the town for such a long time”.

Mr Lamb said he was worried investment in Heathrow could see Crawley lose business, adding: “Personally it means that an awful lot of businesses are going to have to work to maintain the prosperity that has been bought to the area, particularly of late.”

Regarding the council’s position, he said: “l think most councillors will be happy with the result. It was the council’s position that we didn’t want a new runway at Gatwick.

“I think I can see some risks more clearly than other people and I am going to do my best to make sure these risks don’t become a reality.”

The Government has given its support for a new runway at Heathrow Airport.

After years of discussions, debates and delays The Department for Transport has confirmed the Government is backing a new runway at the London-based airport over Gatwick.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling addressed the House of Commons on the decision on Tuesday.

In July 2011, the Airport’s commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, backed Heathrow but did not rule out expansion at Gatwick.

Gatwick argued that it could deliver a second runway quicker and cheaper than expansion at Heathrow, but campaigners have suggested the area’s infrastructure is inadequate to cope and raised concerns about the noise impact on residents under existing and new flight paths.

The decision is to be subject to a’full and fair’consultation before it is finalised next winter.

The scheme will now be taken forward in the form of a draft National policy statement (NPS) for consultation Cheers echoed around the Plough Inn in Ifield as campaigners gathered to listen to the announcement.

Businesses have expressed their disappointment over the Government’s decision to back Heathrow over Gatwick.

Jeremy Taylor, chief executive Gatwick Diamond Business, said: “whilst it is obviously disappointing that the preference is for Heathrow that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to see a new runway at Gatwick.

I’m a passionate supporter of Gatwick and this support is reflected in the majority of our members and by the 35 business organisations who recently co-signed a letter to the PM calling for Gatwick Runways.

“Fundamentally, I believe that a third runway at Heathrow is undeliverable. There are too many obstacles from surrounding councils and from London MPs.

“Furthermore, the conditions stated by the Davies Commission – which include no night flights and no worsening in air quality – are likely to be insurmountable.”

Mr Taylor also raised concerns about infrastructure funding on the M25 and rail lines to service Heathrow.

“By contrast” Gatwick has the land and the money ready to invest in delivering the 2nd Runway here,” he said. *There is no question that there will be some infrastructure and environmental impact from that runway, but it will be a fraction of the impact from Heathrow.”

He called for the Government to address how the ‘losing’ area will be affected.

Crawley MP Henry Smith said: ‘The Government has made the right choice in the national interest” as recommended by the independent Airports Commission.

“l am confident that Gatwick will continue to grow as an alternative airport, and I am pleased to see flights expanding from a number of airlines.”

Chamber of Commerce: One Runway Not Enough’

One new runway will not be enough to meet the UK’s needs, according to the Sussex Chamber of Commence.

While the organisation’s national partners greeted the approval of expansion at Heathrow with a heartfelt “it’s about time” things were not so jovial at the local level.

Chairman David Sheppard said: The Sussex Chamber of Commerce, and many businesses in Sussex are disappointed the decision wasn’t made in favour of Gatwick with its clear economic benefits to the region. One new runway is not enough to give the UK the aviation capacity it requires to trade the world successfully.”

While expansion at Heathrow has received the governmental nod, a third consultation needs to be held and it could be more than a decade before the runway is built.

Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce said of the announcement: “Put simply, it’s about time.

Successive governments have prevaricated for far too long the face of a blindingly obvious need for more runway capacity.